Message delivery device



Jan. 13, 1942. w. R. HALL MESSAGE DELIVERY DEVICE Filed NOV. 16, 1940arraemzr;

INVF'NTCR.

Patented Jan. 13, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MESSAGE DELIVERYDEVICE William R. Hall, Kingsville, Ontario, Canada Application Novemberis, 1940, serial No. 365,881

4 Claims. (Cl. 258 2) This invention relates to improvements in trainorder or message delivery hoops and a support therefor.

At the present time when it is desired to deliver a train order to theengineer of a passing train the station agent attaches the message to adelivery cord loop and strings the cord releasably upon a delivery hoop.The agent then holds the hoop up toward the passing train in such aposition that the engineer can pick off the cord with its attachedmessage. The delivery of a message in this manner requires the agent tostand dangerously close to the moving train and if the train is a doubleheader and it is desired to deliver a message to the driver of eachengine two hoops, each equipped with a cord, are required and thedifliculties of the agents task are substantially increased.

One object of this invention is to provide a simple form of holder orsupport for a message delivery hoop. This support is so constructed thatthe delivery hoop when mounted thereon is positioned in such a mannerthat the cord carrying message may be readily picked off the hoop by theengineer of a passing train. My improved holder is of such a characterthat the delivery hoop may be readily mounted thereon, is securely heldthereby and may be easily removed after use.

Another object is to provide a train order delivery hoop which is soconstructed that two separate messages or train orders may be deliveredin succession therefrom to two different recipients. For example, myimproved hoop is engine of a double-header passing train while thesecond cord carrying its message is supported upon the hoop to be pickedofi by the engineer of the second engine of the double header. Duringthe picking off of the first mescords are picked off in succession. Onlyone message cord is in position at one time to be picked off.

This improved device. is simple, inexpensive and of sturdy construction.It comprises a minimum number of parts. It is easy to load and operate.The second delivery cord is so supported that during delivery of thefirst message cord the second cord is positioned in such a manner thatit will not be accidentally engaged or released by the engineer inpicking up the first message cord. m 7

Other. objects, advantages, and meritorious features of my inventionwill more fully appear from the following description, appended claims.and accompanying drawing, wherein: V

Figure 1 is anelevation of a signal post partly broken away providedwith my improved hoop holder and improved hoop structure with the hooparranged to deliver two messages and with the first message cordsupported for delivery and the second message cord held in the retractedposition,

Fig. 2 is an elevation of a fragment of my improved hoop enlarged overthe View of Fig. 1 and arranged as shown in Fig. 1',

Fig. 3 is a plan of a fragment of the structure shown in Fig. 1 taken online 3- 3,

Fig. 4 is an elevation of my improved'hoop showing the second messagecord projected for delivery, and

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on line 5-7-5 of Fig, 1..

In Fig. 1, It] indicates a signal post such as is provided alongside therailway track in front of railwaystations. I propose to utilize thisupright post as a support of my improved hoop holder. The hoop holderitself comprises a bracket arm l2 and a brace I4 which is pivoted to thearm as at IS. The arm is provided at one end with a clamp I8 in the formof a loop which is adapted to be bolted about the post Hi. There isbolted about the post below the loop l8 a second clamp or loop 20 andthe free end of the brace is seated within spaced portions 22 of thisclamp 20 so as to hold the'bracket arm in the upright position shown inFig. 1.

This bracket arm is provided on one side as at its outer end with a hook24 and with a pin or bolt 26 spaced inwardly toward the post from thehook. The hook opens upwardly and is of a 1 size to receive the handle28 of the message delivery hoop and this handle is provided with a pinaperture 30 indicated in dotted outline in Fig. 3 adapted to receive thepin 26 as shown in such figure to secure the hoop to the bracket. Inthis position the hoop handle is adapted to rest in the hook to projectthe hoop outwardly as shown in Fig. 1. The hoop may be quickly placed inposition by inserting the pin through the aperture and drawing thehandle into the hook and may be as readily withdrawn. Upon removal ofthe brace bar [4 from its support in clamp the entire holder may bedropped downwardly alongside of the post 10.

In the structure illustrated I have shown an improved type of doublehoop. It is apparent that a single hoop such as is now used might haveits handle provided with a pin aperture and might be supported upon thebracket arm as shown.

My improved hoop structure comprises a. hoop which is generallyY-shaped. There is a handle 28 one end of which is provided with a pinaperture 30 as hereinafter described. At the opposite end there is apair of arms 32 which form a fork adapted to carry a message deliverycord 34. In Fig. 1 a message 36 is shown attached to the cord. The cordis strung over the outer ends of the arms which are notched to hold itand extends rearwardly to be received underneath a spring catch 38 asshown in the figures of the drawing.

There is a second fork structure having arms 40 and which second fork issimilar to the fork heretofore described but is of smaller size to bereceived within the first fork and substantially within its plane asshown in Fig. 4. This second fork is hinged at its base as by hinge 42to the base of the first fork. The hinge is a spring hinge, the springbeing indicated at 46, and the spring operates to normally hold thesecond fork substantially within the plane of the first fork. This is aconventional spring hinge structure. A pair of rubber bumpers 48 areprovided to position the second fork when it is drawn into the firstfork as shown in Fig. 4.

The second fork is adapted to be equipped with a message delivery cord50.

provided at its base with a spring catch 52 similar in construction tothe spring catch- 38 and adapted to receive thereunderneath the cord tothe driver of the second engine may pick off the cord 55]. During theoperation of picking off the first cord the second cord is held out ofthe way so as not to be disturbed.

What I claim:

1. A train message delivery hoop comprising, in combination, a Y-shapedhoop provided with a spring catch at the base of the two arms of the Y,a cord loop releasably engaged by said catch and extending along the twoarms of the Y and across the open end between the open arms, a secondpair of connected arms provided with a spring catch at the base of thearms, a cord loop This cord is also adapted to carry a message. Thesecond fork is hold the same strung upon the fork in the same manner ashas been described with respect to the cord of the first fork.

This second fork is adapted to occupy either a position within the planeof the first fork as shown in Fig. 4 or a position swung out of saidplane and substantially normal thereto as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Inorder to maintain the hinged fork in the last named position the fork isprovided with a tripping lever 54 pivoted thereto at 56 rearwardly ofthe spring catch 52. This lever is provided with a notch 58 adapted toengage a part 60 on the first fork to hold the second fork at theposition shown in Figs. 1 to 3against the tension of its hinge spring.It will be noted that in this position the tripping lever overhangs thecord 34 which is strung upon the first fork. When this cord is pickedoff its hoop and as it is withdrawn therefrom it trips the lever 54releasing the second fork to the urging of its spring hinge which throwsthe second fork into the releasably engaged by said catch and extendingalong the two arms and across the open end between the arms, said secondpair of arms hinged to the first pair of arms and. adapted to occupy aposition alongside of the first pair of arms substantially inparallelism therewith or to be swung to a position substantially normalto the first pair of arms, spring means connecting the two pairs of armsurging said second pair of arms to occupy the first named position,means releasably connecting the two pairs of arms adapted to releasablyhold said second pair of arms at said last named position counter theurging of said spring, said means having a part releasably engaged bythe cord on the first pair of arms to be actuated thereby to release thesecond pair of arms to its spring means upon withdrawal of the cord fromthe first pair of arms.

2. A train message delivery hoop comprising, in combination, a cordcarrying fork having a handle at its closed end, a spring catch on thebase of said fork, a second cord carrying fork hinged to the first forkto be swung to lie substantially within the plane of the first fork orto be swung out of said plane, a spring catch on the base of the secondfork, a cord loop releasably mounted upon each fork extending across theopen end thereof and detachably engaged by the spring catch at the baseof each fork, spring means connecting the two forks normally urging thesecond fork to a position substantially within the plane of the firstfork, a tripping device adapted to releasably connect the two forks tohold the second fork against the tension of its spring and out of theplane of the first fork, said tripping device having a part overhangingthe cord on the first fork to be actuated thereby upon withdrawal of thecord from the first fork to release the second fork to the urging of itsspring.

3. A train message delivery hoop comprising, incombination, a cordcarrying fork having a handle at its closed end, a spring catch on thebase of said fork, a second cord carrying fork of a size to be receivedWithin the first fork and hinged to the first fork to be swung to aposition to lie substantially within the plane of the first fork or tobe swung to a position at a right angle thereto, a spring catch on thebase of the second fork, a cord loop releasably mounted upon each forkand detachably engaged by the spring catch on the base of each fork,spring means connecting the two forks and normally urging the secondfork to a position within the plane of the first fork, a tripping leverhinged to the base of the second fork rearwardly of the spring catch onthe fork, lever engaging means on the base of the first fork disposedforwardly of the spring catch on the fork and adapted to engage thetripping lever to hold the second fork out of the plane of the firstfork against the tension of the spring means acting upon the secondfork.

4. A train message delivery device comprising, in combination, a cordcarrying fork having a cord catch at its closed end, a second cordcarrying fork having a cord catch at its closed end, said second forkbeing hingedly supported within the first fork for swinging movementfrom a position substantially within the plane of the first fork to aposition substantially normal to the plane of the first fork, a messagedelivery cord releasably strung on each fork, each cord releasablyengaged by the cord catch on the fork and extending along the two armsof the fork and across the open end between the two arms, a springconnecting the two forks urging the second fork to its position withinthe plane of the first fork, a tripping lever mounted on the base of onefork, a lever engaging part mounted on the base of the other fork, saidlever adapted to releasably engage said part to releasably hold thesecond fork at its position substantially normal relative to the firstfork counter the urging of said spring, said cord strung on the firstfork being engaged with the lever and adapted upon withdrawal of thecord from the first fork to trip the lever to release the second fork tothe urging of the spring.

WILLIAM R. HALL.

